The middle of the week was surprisingly busier for the hotel. Both restaurants of the First Diamond Hotel were packed with guests. It was thanks to Belinda Lopez's feature of the hotel on a Wednesday morning that reservations came through in the afternoon and in the evening itself. On a Thursday night, The Pearl Diamond Restaurant was crowded!Samantha wound up coming home very late in the evening that day, fulfilling the very last order, not wanting to leave her team on their very first rewarding night. Entering the master bedroom, Samantha greeted her husband, "Hey there, handsome.""Hmmm. Is it normal for the wife to come home much later than her husband?" Ethan answered while putting aside his laptop.Samantha chuckled and climbed right next to him on the bed. She, herself, warranted for a kiss, crashing into his arms and lips. That prompted Ethan to wrap his arms around Samantha and caressing her angelic f

"Chef Sam, someone... is here to see you," said one of the servers of the Pearl Diamond Restaurant on a Friday afternoon. Samantha was just about to finish the lunch service with her team when she was informed of a visitor so formally. She frowned and asked, "Is it, my husband?""No, Chef... It's General Davis," said the food attendant. "What should I say?"Feeling her heart racing, Samantha paled at the name of her father. She repeatedly flickered her eyes for seconds. Only after seeing the strange expression coming from the food attendant and some kitchen staff did she say, "Ummm... Why don't you bring him to the lobby lounge and I'll follow.""Yes, Chef Sam.""You okay?" Matteo asked, seeing her expression. "What's with you and the military? You had the same scared expression when you went to see the Brown couple."Turning to Matteo, Samantha answered, "Ummm... It's a long story. Do you mind taking over?""Of course," said Ma

From within the Fort Eagle Military Camp, the biggest estate, an old home of the Davis family, had helpers scrambling left and right in preparation for Samantha's return. "What is all this? Why have you invited some of Sam's previous classmates? Even Clayton and his family are here," Winfield Davis probed with his brows drawn together, seeing so many people gathered in their dining room that ten-thirty in the morning. "Well, Winfield. This is your daughter's official return to the mansion. We thought it would be nice for her to meet up with old friends and see familiar faces," suggested Catherine Davis. "I even invited some of your relatives, coming from the Davis side!""Today is a day for Samantha to rejoice, coming back to this home!" Catherine exclaimed. "That's why we prepared so much food!"She smiled at Winfield Davis before saying, "I can't wait to see her!"It baffled Winfield how his wife was so eager to see Samantha. Sure, it

"You have wrongly represented us - parents! What kind of parents would throw their child out of their home when she is two months pregnant! What?!" Amanda's eyes widened and her voice further raised as she added, "More than the shame of Sam's misreading, I bet people behind your back talked about the shameful act you both had done to the child you call your own!"Amanda had been glaring back and forth at Catherine and Winfield before she added, "If Sarah were alive, she would dare not abandon her own child! Clearly, Winfield, this new wife of yours is BELOW Sarah! She and her daughter even dared to bring up Samantha's past like it was the worst sin on earth!"Amanda's words brought about silence in the room. Everyone saw how Winfield's pride was wounded, and how Catherine's face paled. All the more, when Amanda added, "I wonder what is more sinful, getting pregnant or murder!"Redirecting her gaze to Catherine, Amanda squinted. Her nose flared while

Envy flashed through Annie's eyes, seeing how Samantha's little girl easily won the heart of her adoptive father. It irked her how Samantha could produce such an adorable young child despite having slept with an ugly old man. Just when she thought her jealousy was at its peak, Ethan walked in, holding a boy that looked exactly like him; A mini version of the great Ethan Wright!Annie Davis found herself gawking at Ethan and the little boy. She could vaguely hear the introductions spoken by Samantha, merely focusing on the resemblance of the two.Finally, her soon-to-be mother-in-law broke the silence and asked, "Why - why does... your son look so much like Ethan?""Yes, such a coincidence," her adoptive father, Winfield Davis remarked, also looking back and forth at Ethan and the little boy. "Um... no, actually father... It is not," Annie heard Samantha answer, practically flushing as she said the words. It mad

The entire lunch was a mix of silence and awkward exchange, but it was thanks to the children's optimism that the mood lightened up. Kenzie especially walked towards the General and asked, "Grandpa, you did not eat at all. Is there something wrong?"The little girl's pure-hearted probing and gleaming eyes made Winfield sigh. He gasped as he reached for the child's head and said, "I'm not very." He cleared his throat before resuming, "I'm not very hungry.""But grandpa, Mommy always tells me that food is a blessing! Sometimes we only had chocolate porridge, but you have pork and vegetables on your plate. You should eat that grandpa," revealed Kenzie. While he forced a smile at Kenzie, it all the more tightened Winfield's chest. He turned to Samantha and silently asked for an explanation. Even Ethan was looking at his wife, wondering what Kenzie meant. "Um." Samantha pursed her lips as she set aside her utensils. She ex

"I hate her! I hate her!" Annie screamed at the top of her lungs, stomping her feet altogether with their predicament. "You stupid girl!" Catherine shook her daughter by the shoulder and said, "You did not even make sure yourself where you sent Sam to that evening! You should have made sure it was someone incompetent! Haven't you learned anything from me?"Pushing her daughter's forehead with her finger, she added, "Instead, you sent her to Ethan Wright!"For the past four hours, the mother and daughter had been arguing nonstop from inside Annie's room. Annie has been trying to find a way to divert all the blame to Samantha while her mother repeatedly scolded her for her lapses. "I did not know it was Ethan!" Another yell left Annie's lips."Mother, what do we do now?" Annie groaned in frustration, but before Catherine could answer, the doors swung open and came inside Winfield Davis. "Dad," Annie called for he

[WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENTS NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNG READERS]8PM at Ethan and Samantha's home.With a smile on her face, Samantha lathered lotion on her arms. She looked at herself, facing the vanity table and muttered, "It feel so good to embrace, Dad again."Ethan walked behind her and helped spread the lotion in her other arm. He probed, "Is my wife happy?"Samantha had a gleam in her eyes as she turned to face her husband. She received a peck on the lips before she answered, "I'm very happy, Ethan."She giggled while she let herself be carried in his arms and into the bed. She asked, "Did I ever tell you how happy I am, I married you? I'm not yet done, by the way.""Hmmmm," said Ethan. He lay her on the bed and began to kiss on her neck before he said, "Prove it."Samantha could not help but laugh. She reminded her husband, "I have my period, remember?"A hiss left Ethan's lips before he asked, "When will

Days passed. Samantha was missing Ethan so much that she eagerly awaited his return on a Thursday. While inside the kitchen of the First Diamond Hotel, Samantha repeatedly checked the time.Before Ethan left, he told that a private jet was unavailable, and thus, he and John took a shared flight, booking first class on the way back to Braeton from Laton City. Killing the time, Samantha kept herself busy, randomly tasting how the chefs have prepared the dishes for their lunch service. When one of the station chefs, Jane, reported late for her shift, she came into the kitchen mumbling, "Sorry I'm late. There is this big traffic due to fire trucks and ambulances, rushing into the airport. Apparently, there was a flight that crashed on the runway at Braeton airport!"That immediately shifted Samantha's attention to Jane. She frowned and asked, "A plane crashed at the airport?""I don't know the details. I just heard people talk

Friday, 8 AM.Standing on a rocky cliff of Jansu island, a huge mansion made of bricks and closed grilled windows faced the sea. The same estate stood miles away from the nearby, yet nearly deserted town within the island. The mansion was surrounded by security, guarding its isolated estate against unexpected guests. It was utterly the most protected home on Jansu island.  Jansu island was known for its rough waves, often flooding the coasts. It resulted in many fishermen to lose their homes that several left the island to search anew. Those who remain lingered the peaks of the island, away from the seas. It was essentially one of the most remote islands in the country and rarely were there boats going in and out of the place. From inside the four-story mansion, a man was looking out his grilled windows, holding up a phone in his hand. He had jet black hair, a well-built body, and tanned skin. He stood abou